1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image forming apparatus, which is capable of preventing meniscuses from being destroyed due to change in an internal pressure at a time when a nozzle forming surface is capped and/or temperature change during the capping, the destruction of the meniscus leading in deterioration of ink ejection performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus has been known, which ejects ink onto a recording medium being conveyed from nozzles provided on a recording head to form an image on the recording medium. In order to prevent ink ejected from nozzles from drying when unused, this type of image forming apparatuses include a cap that is abut against a nozzle formation surface of the recording head to form a closed space in which the nozzle formation surface is sealed off.
JP Hei. 9-240012 (for example, FIG. 6) discloses an ink ejection apparatus including a cap body corresponding to the above-mentioned cap, as an image forming apparatus including the cap. The cap body has a concave portion defined by a bottom surface facing the nozzle formation surface and a wall, which is upward from the periphery of the bottom surface toward the nozzle formation surface. Further, an incision, which is in a closed state at normal times and is opened only when a force is applied to the bottom surface, is formed in the bottom surface.
According to the cap body configured as mentioned above, change in internal pressure generated at the time of capping is absorbed by opening the incision. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the meniscus from being destroyed due to the change in the internal pressure.